That was an ugly episode but you handled it well. If I remember correctly the same troll spoofed Joe C. too. Some of those times were uglier than what is going on now, but it all sorted out. This too shall pass...<br><br>Chris<br><br>[color:blue]Be obscure clearly.</font color=blue> <br>[color:green]- E.B. White</font color=green>

I'm staying here and there - I like both.<br><br>Here is "fresh" for many of us - no sins to be regretful about, not yet. <br><br>There is "memories" - and we all need good ones, so I'll make more.<br><br>I KNOW lots of us will continue in both places. I hope you will too!<br><br>[color:red]Alec</font color=red>

Sorry to hear about your nasty PM. I have had a very nasty experience myself which shook me for weeks but I got over it and stuck it out. I understand your thinking towards MC but I've decided I'm not completely writing them off just yet. Personally, I don't like Jim's tone of voice. It's like he is saying okay you can talk about macs in the lounge but don't dare have fun. I'm in the process of completing my tile. I recieved it Thursday night in the thick of things. At that point I wasn't sure I wanted to be involved but I knuckeled down and have it almost complete. I focused on the fact that the proceeds were going to charity and I also thought of the original intent. To have a group of individuals get together and have fun. Forget the MC title and just remember all of us who have worked hard to bring the Mosaic together. <br><br><br><br>

Not much time to write, I'm busy with that mosaic tile, and it's really going slow. It took me forever to get the proper look on a dolphin, and even now I'm not happy with with it, and it is only a tiny part of the whole!!! <br><br>But I wanted to comment. (when haven't I?) First of all, it makes no sense to plan the future of your forum activities right now. We're all out-of-sorts, out-of-place, and it just feels bad. Nobody likes that feeling. Right now, if you were to ask me, I'd say I'm not coming back much. But here I am, and I couldn't resist commenting, right?<br><br>SteveG said that this is incredibly trivial, and it is on one level, but I don't consider my relationship with any one of you trivial. I've been doing this since 1988, and I've made many lifelong friends over the Net who have become more than virtual acquaintances. I have many good friends from college who are now nothing BUT virtual acquaintances, because I never would see them otherwise. <br><br>Yes, there is plenty to be said for flesh-and-blood, brick-and-mortar experience, but tales of old include many a romance that lasted a lifetime through nothing but secret messages spirited out of a country by private messenger two or three times a year. Tristan & Isolde, Eloise & Abelard... the stuff of tragedy and triumph. So don't sell the virtual experience short. The only thing trival about this is that we have had to displace something from our lives over the behaviors of some immature people, and possibly some mature ones as well just exercising momentary bad judgment. <br><br>I believe the virtual communties made possible by the internet have not replaced our lives, but have expanded them. I have no fewer friends now in my brick & mortar experience than I would have without the internet. Instead, I have a group of friends and colleagues who participate in something truly new in history. We don't know what to make of it sometimes, but we feel our way as we go, and we just use the same judgement that we've always used in life. <br><br>Who among us has not in anger said "I won't be back?" But we always come back, because this is not a tv. It's a real place with real people who offer us something in return for our concern. I've found solace in people even here who took the time to console me when I was in dire straits. What's so "virtual" about that? <br><br>So, plan to plan as you go. Tomorrow you may not want to be here. The next day you may. No reason to wonder what your position is on this for the rest of your life. Just do it. I've gone away from MacCentral for as much as three months. Come back and it's as if I never left. <br><br>Lasruk, you're a rock; a foundation here. I'm not alone in looking to you as a model of community behavior. You always say what you think; peer pressure does not sway you. You know how to behave, and I've always appreciated your presence. <br><br>SRoss, I hope my political dislike of the current administration does not distress you. I'm not exactly a liberal. Far too many liberal issues are just not my own, besides, I don't believe in the linear continuum between "conservative and liberal." But I sure have major problems with the guy in office, and I do like to talk about it here because I consider it my moral duty to speak up on such issues. This is a community, after all. <br><br>But, for Bukk and everyone, as much as we all enjoy each other's commentary and fun, the nice thing about a virtual community is that you just don't have to be a part of it when you don't want to. It's that simple... just don't open this page. Boy, if only the real world had such an analogue!<br><br>Where you guys go, I'll go, because as I've said before, we're the forum, not the software, though we certainly appreciate those who work to keep the software open for hosting discussion. It's a mutual benefit. <br><br><br>Shooshie<br><br><br>-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-<br><br><br><br><br>Shooshie's Stuff

Bukk, this response is purely selfish. I've enjoyed reading your posts and have laughed till I cried over many of them. What made the GD experience so good for me was finding those nuggets in amongst the dross - that dross being added to by me as well on an almost daily basis - and I feel that this small part of my life has been richened immeasurably by the small treasures I found there.<br><br>I'm flabbergasted to hear of the personal attacks through the PM system. What jerks. I'm also amazed that JD didn't can the offender(s) immediately.<br><br>However, I just wanted you to know that there are a number of people whose contributions I admired and enjoyed, and I'm pleased to say your contributions were an absolute highlight.<br><br>If you choose to pack this in, this on-line community will be the worse for it. And I for one will miss you greatly.<br><br>Sincerely,<br>M1.<br><br><br><br>

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